1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a miniature hinge, and more particular to the miniature hinge for being used in the flip type or folder type phone.
2. The Related Art
Portable devices, such as the notebook, cellular phone, hand-held phone, and personal communication service phone, are widely used. Generally, the portable device has a flip cover, a base body and a miniature hinge adapted to mechanically couple the flip cover and the base body.
A conventional hinge 200, as shown in FIG. 7, includes a hinge cover 11, a hinge shaft 12, a spring 13, a first cam 14a, a second cam 14b and an E-clip 15. A circular hole is formed through one end wall of the hinge cover 11 in order to allow the hinge shaft 12 to pass through. The first cam 14a has a pair of mountain-shaped portion extending forwardly along the rotating axis direction. The second cam 14b has a pair of mountain-shaped portion defining a valley-shaped portion therebetween. A circular groove 12a is formed at one end of the hinge shaft 12 for engaging with the E-clip 15.
When assembling the hinge 200, firstly, the spring 13 is placed in the hinge cover 11, and then, the hinge shaft 12 sequentially passes through the first cam 14a, the second cam 14b and the spring 13. The first cam 14a and the second cam 14b have the similar shape as the inner shape of the hinge cover 11, so that they are assembled together in the rotating axis direction. At last, the E-clip 15 is engaged with the groove 12a of the hinge shaft 12.
After the hinge 200 is assembled in the portable device, the mountain-shaped portion of the first cam 14a is biased against the valley-shaped portion of the second cam 14b, so that the flip cover of the portable device rotates in accordance with the rotation of the hinge 200 to open and close the portable device.
In the assembling process, the inner diameter of the E-clip 15 is smaller than the diameter of the hinge shaft 12, so that a larger force is needed in order to insert E-clip 15 into the groove 12a for securing the hinge shaft 12. Furthermore, when the hinge 200 is used for many times, the E-clip 15 is easy to be damaged. Thereby, the E-clip 15 would fall out from the groove 12a. 